Pointing tool



IN VEN TOR L M. WARE POINTING TOOL Filed Aug. 26, 1965 LOREN M. WARE;

WMI f Fig. 1.

' May 9, 1967 United States Patent O 3,318,490 POINTING TOOL Loren M. Ware, Keunard, Ind., assigner of one-half to Joseph E. Johns, Shirley, Ind. Filed Aug. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 482,691 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-340) This invention relates generally to masonry pointing tools and in particular to a hand held tool for inserting mortar into a mortar joint between blocks or bricks or around the margins of metal Window frames.

In pointing mortar joints on buildings where mortar has deteriorated or washed away between bricks or blocks, new mortar must be inserted between the blocks with a minimum of smearing of mortar beyond the mortar line so that the appearance of the finished job will not 'be impaired.

In the past various types of inclined, hand-held trays have 'been devised which direct mortar into the washedout joint. An example of this type of prior art structures is disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,856,768. These prior art devices are satisfactory where the mortar joint or line of mortar application is generally horizontal but are inadequate where mortar must be applied vertically such as in the gap between the masonry structure window opening and the vertical outer margins of metal window frames of the type utilized in industrial building construction.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a mortar joint pointing tool which accurately and cleanly (without depositing mortar on adjacent facing surfaces) injects mortar into either horizontal or vertical mortar joints or cavities.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type referred to above which can be conveniently disassembled and cleaned in the event that it lbecomes loaded and caked with mortar.

These and other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a side view of a structure embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating the tool of the present invention in use on the installation of a metal window frame.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, the mortar injecting tool of the present invention comprises a tubular metal housing 10 which is of generally flat rectangular cross-section. A flange 11 extends outwardly along one side margin of the housing adjacent one of its ends and is adapted to engage the facing surface of a brick or cement block, indicated fragmentarily at 12, the block 12 being shown in FIG. l as lying just below a gap or cavity 13 into which mortar is to be injected.

The pointing tool further includes a handle member indicated generally at 14. Adjacent its end the handle member has a plunger portion 16 of reduced cross-section. As will be evident from FIGS. 1 and 2 the plunger portion 16 of the handle member closely lits into the housing 10 and extends slidably therein.

As will be evident from FIG. 2, the plunger portion of the handle member is bifurcated and a plunger facing member 17, having a working face 17a, spans the bifurcated end of the plunger portion of the handle member and is secured thereto by means of screws or other suitable fasteners 17c. Extending tranversely through the housing 10 is a bolt 18 or other removable fastener means, the bolt 18 extending through the bifuraction in the plunger portion 16 and freely through a half-round cut out portion 17b in the facing member 17.

A compression spring 19 extends between the base 16a of the plunger portion and bottoms, at its other end, against the bolt 18. The spring 19 extends within the bifurcation of the plunger portion 16 and hence does not interfere with movement of the plunger portion 16 into and out of the housing 10. It will be evident from FIG. 2 that the spring 19 exerts a biasing force tending to move the handle member 14 to a retracted position with relation to the housing 10, that is, a position in which only a minimum portion of the plunger 16 is within the housing. The complete withdrawal of the handle from the housing is prevented by engagement of the bolt 18 with the surface 17b on the facing member 17.

Operation of the device will be evident from FIGS. 1 and 3. With the plunger portion 16 in retracted position, semi-liquid mortar may be placed in the open end of the housing. The tool may then be placed against a mortar joint as indicated in FIG. l. The handle may then be moved leftwardly, as viewed in FIG. 1, so as to move the plunger portion into extended position wherein it substantially fills the housing 10 and the mortar within the housing is ejected from the open end of the housing and into the gap at the mortar joint 13. Because the semi-liquid mortar is cupped within the housing 10, the tool may be used to eject mortar into the vertical gap which is normally provided between a conventional metal window frame (indicated schematically at 21 in FIG. 3) and the adjoining cement blocks or bricks (indicated at 22 in FIG. 3). The arrangement of lthe tool is such that, whether mortar is applied to a generally horizontal joint as shown in FIG. 1 or in a generally vertical joint as shown in FIG. 3, no mortar is smeared on the brick or block face beyond the mortar line. The result is a much neater appearing job than can be accomplished using a trowel or other conventional pointing tools.

Normally, the tool is kept in operating condition by dipping it into water at intervals during its use. However, should the tool become loaded with mortar which has started to set, the device may be easily disassembled by removing the bolt 18, sliding the plunge portion 16 from the housing 10 and removing the fasteners 18 thereby permitting removal of the facing member 17 from the plunger portion. Upon disassembly, replacement of any of these component parts can be easily accomplished.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative land not -restn'ctive in character, Ias other modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being made to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool for injecting mortar into a crevice comprising: a handle member having a bifurcated end of reduced cross-section, a plunger facing member spanning the bifurcated end of said handle member and secured thereto, a tubular, mortar-accommodating housing slidably receiving said reduced cross-section portion of said handle member, a removable fastener extending transversely through said housing and through the bifurcation of said handle, and a compression spring lbottoming at one of its ends against said fastener and at its other end against the base of said handle member bifurcation, whereby mortar accommodated in said housing is ejected therefrom by said reduced cross-section portion of said handle when said handle is driven into said housing against the biasing force of said spring.

2. A tool for injecting mortar into a crevice comprising: a handle member having a bifurcated plunger portion, a plunger facing member spanning the bifurcated end of said plunger portion, a tubular, mortar-accommodating housing slidably receiving said plunger portion 3 of said handle member, a removable' fastener extending transversely through said housing and through the bifurcation of said plunger portion, and a compression spring bottoming at one of its ends against said fastener and at its other end against the base of said handle member bifurcation, whereby mortar accommodated in said housing is ejected therefrom -by said plunger facing member when said handle is driven into said housing against the biasing force of said spring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 16,021 11/1856 Phillips 15-596 3,163,881 1/1965 Apicella 15-555 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TOOL FOR INJECTING MORTAR INTO A CREVICE COMPRISING: A HANDLE MEMBER HAVING A BIFURCATED END OF REDUCED CROSS-SECTION, A PLUNGER FACING MEMBER SPANNING THE BIFURCATED END OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER AND SECURED THERETO, A TUBULAR, MORTAR-ACCOMMODATING HOUSING SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID REDUCED CROSS-SECTION PORTION OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER, A REMOVABLE FASTENER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID HOUSING AND THROUGH THE BIFURCATION OF SAID HANDLE, AND A COMPRESSION SPRING BOTTOMING AT ONE OF ITS ENDS AGAINST SAID FASTENER AND AT ITS OTHER END AGAINST THE BASE OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER BIFURCATION, WHEREBY MORTAR ACCOMMODATED IN SAID HOUSING IS EJECTED THEREFROM BY SAID REDUCED CROSS-SECTION PORTION OF SAID HANDLE WHEN SAID HANDLE IS DRIVEN INTO SAID HOUSING AGAINST THE BIASING FORCE OF SAID SPRING. 